Fusion Yield Research Articles

Fusion Yield Enhancement in Magnetized Laser-Driven Implosions

Enhancement of the ion temperature and fusion yield has been observed in magnetized laser-driven inertial confinement fusion implosions on the OMEGA Laser Facility. A spherical CH target with a 10 atm D2 gas fill was imploded in a polar-drive configuration. A magnetic field of 80 kG was embedded in the target and was subsequently trapped and compressed by the imploding conductive plasma. As a result of the hot-spot magnetization, the electron radial heat losses were suppressed and the observed ion temperature and neutron yield were enhanced by 15% and 30%, respectively.

Somatic and stem cell pairing and fusion using a microfluidic array device

There is considerable excitement about the prospect of tissue repair and renewal through cell replacement therapies. Nonetheless, many of these techniques may require the reprogramming of somatic and stem cells through cell fusion. Previous fusion methods often suffer from random cell contacts, poor fusion yields, or complexity of design. We have developed a simplified cell-electrofusion chip that possesses a dense microelectrode array, which enables the simultaneous pairing and electrofusion of thousands of cells by manipulation dielectrophoretic force and electroporation. Human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK293) cells, mouse fibroblasts (NIH3T3 cells), and mouse embryonic stem cells were arranged for cell fusion with the same and mixed cell type. The pairing efficiency for a 2-cell alignment of mixed cells was ~35%, and a fusion efficiency of ~46% in cell pairs was achieved. Significant cell death occurs with fusion voltages ≥ 10 V, and electrofusion with our chip was achieved on a ~1000 V cm−1 electric field strength induced by a low intensity voltages (9 V). Therefore, the chip used in this study provides a simple, low voltage alternative with sufficient throughput for hybrid cell experiments and somatic cell reprogramming research.

Investigation of Rhabdomyosarcoma Cell Electrofusion

Cell-cell fusion is an important natural and engineered process for in-depth studies into hybridomas, developmental biology, immunology and various cellular therapies. It is also a powerful tool for analysis of gene expression, chromosomal mapping, antibody production, cloning mammals, and cancer immunotherapy. However, research so far has primarily focused on cell models such asC.elegans, drosophila, myoblasts, spleen-myeloma cell hybrids and various plant protoplasts. Rhabdomyosarcoma cells are a rare form of musculoskeletal cancer cells found in the head, neck, and other less skeletal areas of the human cancer patient’s body. As these cells do not normally undergo fusion naturally, they are an interesting model for studying cell fusion. Among all the techniques for fusion, electrofusion (or electroporation) can be applied to a wide range of cell types with high efficiency and high post-fusion viability. By coupling these cells with this technique, the effectson cell proliferation, growth pattern, and hybridoma count wereinvestigated. Overall, the experimental results showed that an adequate electrical stimulation helped to facilitate the fusion and proliferation of the RD cells. Furthermore,a DC current produced the highest number of hybridomas, while maintaining the highest proliferation rate.After subtracting for the control samples, an average fusion yield of 24% was obtained under this DC setting, which is comparable to the fusion yield of 20% obtained using the same technique by other researchers. This is a promising result for its application in the production of monoclonal antibodies for cancer research and treatment.

Fusion Reactions with the One-Neutron Halo NucleusC15

The structure of (15)C, with an s(1/2) neutron weakly bound to a closed-neutron shell nucleus (14)C, makes it a prime candidate for a one-neutron halo nucleus. We have for the first time studied the cross section for the fusion-fission reaction (15)C+(232)Th at energies in the vicinity of the Coulomb barrier and compared it to the yield of the neighboring (14)C+(232)Th system measured in the same experiment. At sub-barrier energies, an enhancement of the fusion yield by factors of 2-5 was observed for (15)C, while the cross sections for (14)C match the trends measured for (12,13)C.

Aneutronic H + B11nuclear fusion driven by Coulomb explosion of hydrogen nanodroplets

We consider a reaction design for table-top nuclear fusion between two distinct nuclei, with high-energy nuclei being produced by a Coulomb explosion (CE) of homonuclear nanodroplets of one reagent reacting with a solid target of a second reagent. This scheme was applied for a theoretical-computational study of the table-top aneutronic $p+{}^{11}\mathrm{B}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}3\ensuremath{\alpha}+8.7$ MeV reaction generated by a source of high-energy (0.3--6 MeV) protons produced by a CE of hydrogen nanodroplets driven by ultra-intense, femtosecond, near-infrared laser pulses and which penetrate into a solid $^{11}\mathrm{B}$ target. The averaged reaction probability and the yield for ${}^{11}\mathrm{B}(p,\ensuremath{\alpha})2\ensuremath{\alpha}$ fusion were calculated from the energy-dependent reaction probability, which was obtained from the ratio of the large fusion cross sections and the stopping power of the protons, and by the proton kinetic energy distribution function, which was obtained from scaled electron and ion dynamics simulations. The fusion yields were determined in the nanodroplet size range and in the laser intensity domain, satisfying the conditions of weak laser intensity attenuation within a single nanodroplet and within an assembly of exploding nanodroplets in the macroscopic plasma filament. The highest values of the fusion yield of 10${}^{8}$ per laser pulse were attained for the largest nanodroplets with initial radii of 200 nm at the laser peak intensity of 10${}^{19}$ W cm${}^{\ensuremath{-}2}$. The ${}^{11}\mathrm{B}(p,\ensuremath{\alpha})2\ensuremath{\alpha}$ fusion yields for the exploding hydrogen nanodroplet source-solid $^{11}\mathrm{B}$ cylindrical target are higher by three to four orders of magnitude than the yields of ${10}^{4}\ensuremath{-}{10}^{5}$ per laser pulse from a laser-irradiated mixed boron-hydrocarbon solid and from a CE of boron-hydrogen heteronuclear nanodroplets. The high efficiency for fusion within the exploding nanodroplets source-cylindrical solid target design provides guidelines for the optimization of yields for table-top nuclear fusion.

Quasispherical fuel compression and fast ignition in a heavy-ion-driven X-target with one-sided illumination

The HYDRA radiation-hydrodynamics code [M. M. Marinak et al., Phys. Plasmas 8, 2275 (2001)] is used to explore one-sided axial target illumination with annular and solid-profile uranium ion beams at 60 GeV to compress and ignite deuterium-tritium fuel filling the volume of metal cases with cross sections in the shape of an “X” (X-target). Quasi-three-dimensional, spherical fuel compression of the fuel toward the X-vertex on axis is obtained by controlling the geometry of the case, the timing, power, and radii of three annuli of ion beams for compression, and the hydroeffects of those beams heating the case as well as the fuel. Scaling projections suggest that this target may be capable of assembling large fuel masses resulting in high fusion yields at modest drive energies. Initial two-dimensional calculations have achieved fuel compression ratios of up to 150X solid density, with an areal density ρR of about 1 g/cm2. At these currently modest fuel densities, fast ignition pulses of 3 MJ, 60 GeV, 50 ps, and radius of 300 μm are injected through a hole in the X-case on axis to further heat the fuel to propagating burn conditions. The resulting burn waves are observed to propagate throughout the tamped fuel mass, with fusion yields of about 300 MJ. Tamping is found to be important, but radiation drive to be unimportant, to the fuel compression. Rayleigh–Taylor instability mix is found to have a minor impact on ignition and subsequent fuel burn-up.

An optimized hydrogen target for muon catalyzed fusion

This paper deals with the optimization of the processes involved in muon catalyzed fusion. Muon catalyzed fusion ( μ CF ) is studied in all layers of the solid hydrogen structure H / 0.1 % T ⊕ D 2 ⊕ HD . The layer H/ T acts as an emitter source of energetic t μ atoms, due to the so-called Ramsauer–Townsend effect. These t μ atoms are slowed down in the second layer (degrader) and are forced to take place nuclear fusion in HD. The degrader affects time evolution of t μ atomic beam. This effect has not been considered until now in μ CF -multilayered targets. Due to muon cycling and this effect, considerable reactions occur in the degrader. In our calculations, it is shown that the fusion yield equals 180 ± 1.5 . It is possible to separate events that overlap in time.

A possibility of miniaturized fusion and fission hybrid reaction core with positive fusion yield

A novel fission–fusion hybrid reactor was proposed, comprising saturating of a fissile actinide core with a mix of deuterium–tritium hydrogen isotopes (U–D–T target), similarly to Hyperion design. Movement of massive, highly charged and short-range fissile fragments was assumed to produce transfer of energy to deuterons at the distances below collision impact parameter for electrons, when the latter are already deflected. The overall bulk of energy transfer was still assumed to be directed to electrons, being argued to experience secondary interactions in dense metallic matrix at a short distance (∼3 × 10 −13 m) from the projectile. The resulting energy dissipation occurs as a continuous shockwave front (as opposed to discrete transfer in environments of lesser densities) producing compression ahead of the projectile and impacting local values of density. The continuity at short distances from the projectile justified hydrodynamic analogy and application of Taylor–Sedov's shockwave theory. At higher local densities in a bow-wave, the probability of high-energy deuteron acceleration was shown to increase in proportion to compression. The transient non-equilibrium equivalents of pressure and temperature may support fusion in the region with volume V over hot zone life-time τ. Both parameters were compared for the U–D–T and benchmark system (accelerator driven deuteron implantation in a non-actinide hydride target) in a dimensionless and hypothesis-free form, canceling the complexities of the mechanism. Based on the dimensionless theoretical prediction, ∼1–2 fusion 14 MeV neutrons per fission are expected to be produced, accompanied by 1–2 photoneutrons and leading to a significantly decreased critical mass. If confirmed experimentally, the proposed system could produce ∼10–20% of its energy output as controlled fusion, be of compact and economical design, environmentally friendly, lead to significant miniaturization of reactor core compatible with high rate of heat exchange. Novel technological applications in robotics, propulsion, sea bed exploration and as a robust energy source were proposed.

Introducing the fission–fusion reaction process: using a laser-accelerated Th beam to produce neutron-rich nuclei towards the N=126 waiting point of the r-process

We propose to produce neutron-rich nuclei in the range of the astrophysical r-process around the waiting point N=126 by fissioning a dense laser-accelerated thorium ion bunch in a thorium target (covered by a CH2 layer), where the light fission fragments of the beam fuse with the light fission fragments of the target. Via the 'hole-boring' mode of laser Radiation Pressure Acceleration using a high-intensity, short pulse laser, very efficiently bunches of 232Th with solid-state density can be generated from a Th layer, placed beneath a deuterated polyethylene foil, both forming the production target. Th ions laser-accelerated to about 7 MeV/u will pass through a thin CH2 layer placed in front of a thicker second Th foil closely behind the production target and disintegrate into light and heavy fission fragments. In addition, light ions (d,C) from the CD2 production target will be accelerated as well to about 7 MeV/u, inducing the fission process of 232Th also in the second Th layer. The laser-accelerated ion bunches with solid-state density, which are about 10^14 times more dense than classically accelerated ion bunches, allow for a high probability that generated fission products can fuse again. In contrast to classical radioactive beam facilities, where intense but low-density radioactive beams are merged with stable targets, the novel fission-fusion process draws on the fusion between neutron-rich, short-lived, light fission fragments both from beam and target. The high ion beam density may lead to a strong collective modification of the stopping power in the target, leading to significant range enhancement. Using a high-intensity laser as envisaged for the ELI-Nuclear Physics project in Bucharest (ELI-NP), estimates promise a fusion yield of about 10^3 ions per laser pulse in the mass range of A=180-190, thus enabling to approach the r-process waiting point at N=126.

Fusion yield: Guderley model and Tsallis statistics

AbstractThe reaction rate probability integral is extended from Maxwell–Boltzmann approach to a more general approach by using the pathway model introduced by Mathai in 2005 (A pathway to matrix-variate gamma and normal densities.Linear Algebr. Appl.396, 317–328). The extended thermonuclear reaction rate is obtained in the closed form via a Meijer'sG-function and the so-obtainedG-function is represented as a solution of a homogeneous linear differential equation. A physical model for the hydrodynamical process in a fusion plasma-compressed and laser-driven spherical shock wave is used for evaluating the fusion energy integral by integrating the extended thermonuclear reaction rate integral over the temperature. The result obtained is compared with the standard fusion yield obtained by Haubold and John in 1981 (Analytical representation of the thermonuclear reaction rate and fusion energy production in a spherical plasma shock wave.Plasma Phys.23, 399–411). An interpretation for the pathway parameter is also given.

Spherically symmetric simulation of plasma liner driven magnetoinertial fusion

Spherically symmetric simulations of the implosion of plasma liners and compression of plasma targets in the concept of the plasma jet driven magnetoinertial fusion have been performed using the method of front tracking. The cases of single deuterium and xenon liners and double layer deuterium-xenon liners compressing various deuterium-tritium targets have been investigated, optimized for maximum fusion energy gains, and compared with theoretical predictions and scaling laws of [P. Parks, Phys. Plasmas 15, 062506 (2008)]. In agreement with the theory, the fusion gain was significantly below unity for deuterium-tritium targets compressed by Mach 60 deuterium liners. The most optimal setup for a given chamber size contained a target with the initial radius of 20 cm compressed by a 10 cm thick, Mach 60 xenon liner, achieving a fusion energy gain of 10 with 10 GJ fusion yield. Simulations also showed that composite deuterium-xenon liners reduce the energy gain due to lower target compression rates. The effect of heating of targets by alpha particles on the fusion energy gain has also been investigated.

Effect of the Drive Parameter on the Differential Fusion Products in Plasma Focus Devices

A moving-boiler model is employed to study the branching ratio of two D-D reaction channels in plasma focus (PF) devices. This model is based on the thermal spreading of the pinched plasma toward the axial direction of the device. In this way, the experimental fusion cross sections of D(d, n)3He and D(d, p)3H reactions are used to calculate the velocity-averaged cross sections due to the penetration of the confined particles into the thermal boiler. The results obtained represent an indispensable effect of the drive parameter on the differential fusion yields. Obviously, an increment of the drive parameter has a high impact on the yields. However, this impact is dominantly in favor of proton yield particularly at lower drift velocity. Furthermore, a saturated condition is obtained at high drift velocity of the boiler. These facts are important for the optimization of fusion emissions in PFs for future applications, particularly in the field of short-lived radioisotope production.

Cell Electrofusion Visualized with Fluorescence Microscopy

Cell electrofusion is a safe, non-viral and non-chemical method that can be used for preparing hybrid cells for human therapy. Electrofusion involves application of short high-voltage electric pulses to cells that are in close contact. Application of short, high-voltage electric pulses causes destabilization of cell plasma membranes. Destabilized membranes are more permeable for different molecules and also prone to fusion with any neighboring destabilized membranes. Electrofusion is thus a convenient method to achieve a non-specific fusion of very different cells in vitro. In order to obtain fusion, cell membranes, destabilized by electric field, must be in a close contact to allow merging of their lipid bilayers and consequently their cytoplasm. In this video, we demonstrate efficient electrofusion of cells in vitro by means of modified adherence method. In this method, cells are allowed to attach only slightly to the surface of the well, so that medium can be exchanged and cells still preserve their spherical shape. Fusion visualization is assessed by pre-labeling of the cytoplasm of cells with different fluorescent cell tracker dyes; half of the cells are labeled with orange CMRA and the other half with green CMFDA. Fusion yield is determined as the number of dually fluorescent cells divided with the number of all cells multiplied by two.

Cell Electrofusion Visualized with Fluorescence Microscopy

Cell electrofusion is a safe, non-viral and non-chemical method that can be used for preparing hybrid cells for human therapy. Electrofusion involves application of short high-voltage electric pulses to cells that are in close contact. Application of short, high-voltage electric pulses causes destabilization of cell plasma membranes. Destabilized membranes are more permeable for different molecules and also prone to fusion with any neighboring destabilized membranes. Electrofusion is thus a convenient method to achieve a non-specific fusion of very different cells in vitro. In order to obtain fusion, cell membranes, destabilized by electric field, must be in a close contact to allow merging of their lipid bilayers and consequently their cytoplasm. In this video, we demonstrate efficient electrofusion of cells in vitro by means of modified adherence method. In this method, cells are allowed to attach only slightly to the surface of the well, so that medium can be exchanged and cells still preserve their spherical shape. Fusion visualization is assessed by pre-labeling of the cytoplasm of cells with different fluorescent cell tracker dyes; half of the cells are labeled with orange CMRA and the other half with green CMFDA. Fusion yield is determined as the number of dually fluorescent cells divided with the number of all cells multiplied by two.

Pulsed-power-driven cylindrical liner implosions of laser preheated fuel magnetized with an axial field

The radial convergence required to reach fusion conditions is considerably higher for cylindrical than for spherical implosions since the volume is proportional to r2 versus r3, respectively. Fuel magnetization and preheat significantly lowers the required radial convergence enabling cylindrical implosions to become an attractive path toward generating fusion conditions. Numerical simulations are presented indicating that significant fusion yields may be obtained by pulsed-power-driven implosions of cylindrical metal liners onto magnetized (>10 T) and preheated (100–500 eV) deuterium-tritium (DT) fuel. Yields exceeding 100 kJ could be possible on Z at 25 MA, while yields exceeding 50 MJ could be possible with a more advanced pulsed power machine delivering 60 MA. These implosions occur on a much shorter time scale than previously proposed implosions, about 100 ns as compared to about 10 μs for magnetic target fusion (MTF) [I. R. Lindemuth and R. C. Kirkpatrick, Nucl. Fusion 23, 263 (1983)]. Consequently the optimal initial fuel density (1–5 mg/cc) is considerably higher than for MTF (∼1 μg/cc). Thus the final fuel density is high enough to axially trap most of the α-particles for cylinders of approximately 1 cm in length with a purely axial magnetic field, i.e., no closed field configuration is required for ignition. According to the simulations, an initial axial magnetic field is partially frozen into the highly conducting preheated fuel and is compressed to more than 100 MG. This final field is strong enough to inhibit both electron thermal conduction and the escape of α-particles in the radial direction. Analytical and numerical calculations indicate that the DT can be heated to 200–500 eV with 5–10 kJ of green laser light, which could be provided by the Z-Beamlet laser. The magneto-Rayleigh-Taylor (MRT) instability poses the greatest threat to this approach to fusion. Two-dimensional Lasnex simulations indicate that the liner walls must have a substantial initial thickness (10–20% of the radius) so that they maintain integrity throughout the implosion. The Z and Z-Beamlet experiments are now being planned to test the various components of this concept, e.g., the laser heating of the fuel and the robustness of liner implosions to the MRT instability.

Overrun effects in nuclear fusion within a single Coulomb exploding nanodroplet

We present a theoretical-computational study of intra-nanodroplet (INTRA) collisions, and of dd and dt nuclear fusion driven by nonuniform Coulomb explosion (CE) induced by overrun effects in (D2)n and (DT)n nanodroplets. We explored two systems where distinct overrun effects induce INTRA nuclear reactions: (1) double-pulse ultraintense laser irradiation of homonuclear (D2)n nanodroplets, which attain a transient inhomogeneous density profile that serves as a target for the realization of nonuniform CE. Overrun effects between nuclei originating from different spatial regions of the exploding nanodroplet drive INTRA dd fusion; (2) single-pulse ultraintense laser irradiation of heteonuclear (DT)n nanodroplets, which results in kinematic overrun effects driving INTRA dt fusion. We utilized scaled electron and ion dynamics simulations to explore the inner and outer ionization electron dynamics, the time dependent deuteron and triton density profiles, the velocities of nuclei and the INTRA fusion yields in the two systems. In system (1) we identify the formation of a localized “overrun shell” at the periphery of the exploding nanodroplet, which is characterized by a narrow spatial range of the fusion generation function, by maxima in the local density and in the spatially averaged local velocity, as well as in the bifurcation of the local velocities, which manifests overrun effects. In system (2) we identify a marked local density enhancement with dt fusion occurring within most of the entire volume of the exploding nanodroplet without shell formation. The four-orders-of-magnitude increase of the dt fusion yield in the one-pulse irradiated (DT)n nanodroplet, as compared with the two-pulse irradiated (D2)n nanodroplet, originates from cumulative effects of density and cross section enhancement.

Two-pulse driving of D+D nuclear fusion within a single Coulomb exploding nanodroplet

This paper presents a computational study of D+D fusion driven by Coulomb explosion (CE) within a single, homonuclear deuterium nanodroplet, subjected to double-pulse ultraintense laser irradiation. This irradiation scheme results in the attainment (by the first weaker pulse) of a transient inhomogeneous density profile, which serves as a target for the driving (by the second superintense pulse) of nonuniform CE that triggers overrun effects and induces intrananodroplet (INTRA) D+D fusion. Scaled electron and ion dynamics simulations were utilized to explore the INTRA D+D fusion yields for double-pulse, near-infrared laser irradiation of deuterium nanodroplets. The dependence of the INTRA yield on the nanodroplet size and on the parameters of the two laser pulses was determined, establishing the conditions for the prevalence of efficient INTRA fusion. The INTRA fusion yields are amenable to experimental observation within an assembly of nanodroplets. The INTRA D+D fusion can be distinguished from the concurrent internanodroplet D+D fusion reaction occurring in the macroscopic plasma filament and outside it in terms of the different energies of the neutrons produced in these two channels.

Neutron yield study of direct-drive, low-adiabat cryogenic D2 implosions on OMEGA laser system

Neutron yields of direct-drive, low-adiabat (α≈2 to 3) cryogenic D2 target implosions on the OMEGA laser system [T. R. Boehly et al., Opt. Commun. 133, 495 (1997)] have been systematically investigated using the two-dimensional (2D) radiation hydrodynamics code DRACO [P. B. Radha et al., Phys. Plasmas 12, 056307 (2005)]. Low-mode (ℓ≤12) perturbations, including initial target offset, ice-layer roughness, and laser-beam power imbalance, were found to be the primary source of yield reduction for thin-shell (5 μm), low-α, cryogenic targets. The 2D simulations of thin-shell implosions track experimental measurements for different target conditions and peak laser intensities ranging from 2.5×1014–6×1014 W/cm2. Simulations indicate that the fusion yield is sensitive to the relative phases between the target offset and the ice-layer perturbations. The results provide a reasonable good guide to understanding the yield degradation in direct-drive, low-adiabat, cryogenic, thin-shell-target implosions. Thick-shell (10 μm) implosions generally give lower yield over clean than low-ℓ-mode DRACO simulation predictions. Simulations including the effect of laser-beam nonuniformities indicate that high-ℓ-mode perturbations caused by laser imprinting further degrade the neutron yield of thick-shell implosions. To study ICF compression physics, these results suggest a target specification with a ≤30 μm offset and ice-roughness of σrms<3 μm are required.

Evaluation of Prompt Dose Environment in the National Ignition Facility during D-D and THD Shots

Evaluation of the prompt dose environment expected in the National Ignition Facility (NIF) during Deuterium-Deuterium (D-D) and Tritium-Hydrogen-Deuterium (THD) shots have been completed. D-D shots resulting in the production of an annual fusion yield of up to 2.4 kJ (200 shots with 1013 neutrons per shot) are considered. During the THD shot campaign, shots generating a total of 2x1014 neutrons per shot are also planned. Monte Carlo simulations have been performed to estimate prompt dose values inside the facility as well as at different locations outside the facility shield walls. The Target Chamber shielding, along with Target Bay and Switchyard walls, roofs, and shield doors (when needed) will reduce dose levels in occupied areas to acceptable values during these shot campaigns. The calculated dose values inside occupied areas are small, estimated at 25 and 85 μrem per shot during the D-D and THD shots, respectively. Dose values outside the facility are insignificant. The nearest building to the NIF facility where co-located workers may reside is at a distance of about 100 m from the Target Chamber Center (TCC). The dose in such a building is estimated at a fraction of a rem during a D-D or a THD shot. Dose at the nearest site boundary location (350 m from TCC), is caused by skyshine and to a lesser extent by direct radiation. The maximum off-site dose during any of the shots considered is less than 10 nano rem.

A Sustainable Nuclear Fuel Cycle Based on Laser Inertial Fusion Energy

The National Ignition Facility (NIF), a laser-based Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) experiment designed to achieve thermonuclear fusion ignition and burn in the laboratory, will soon be completed at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. Experiments designed to accomplish the NIF’s goal will commence in 2010, using laser energies of 1 to 1.3 MJ. Fusion yields of the order of 10 to 35 MJ are expected soon thereafter. We propose that a laser system capable of generating fusion yields of 35 to 75 MJ at 10 to 15 Hz (i.e., ≈ 350- to 1000-MW fusion and ≈ 1.3 to 3.6 x 1020 n/s), coupled to a compact subcritical fission blanket, could be used to generate several GW of thermal power (GWth) while avoiding carbon dioxide emissions, mitigating nuclear proliferation concerns and minimizing the concerns associated with nuclear safety and long-term nuclear waste disposition. This Laser Inertial Fusion Energy (LIFE) based system is a logical extension of the NIF laser and the yields expected from the early ignition experiments on NIF. The LIFE concept is a once-through, self-contained closed fuel cycle and would have the following characteristics: (1) eliminate the need for uranium enrichment; (2) utilize over 90% of the energy content of the nuclear fuel; (3) eliminate the need for spent fuel chemical separation facilities; (4) maintain the fission blanket subcritical at all times (keff <0.90); and (5) minimize future requirements for deep underground geological waste repositories and minimize actinide content in the end-of-life nuclear waste below the (the lowest). Options to burn natural or depleted U, Th, U/Th mixtures, Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) without chemical separations of weapons-attractive actinide streams, and excess weapons Pu or highly enriched U (HEU) are possible and under consideration. Because the fission blanket is always subcritical and decay heat removal is possible via passive mechanisms, the technology is inherently safe. Many technical challenges must be met, but a LIFE solution could provide a sustainable path for worldwide growth of nuclear power for electricity production and hydrogen generation.